Fodder cutter



Jail. 24, 1928.

1,657,109 0. B. CLEMENS FODDER CUTTER Filed Aug. 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. OJCQI J5. amma ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,109

0. B. CLEMENS FODDER CUTTER Filed Aug. 12. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 INVENTO R 5 Ogyc'ar B. Clem @215 Tl ass.

A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 44, 1928.

0. B. CLEMENS FODDER CUTTER Filed Aug. 12. 1926 5 She etS-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR:

OJCLLZ B. 01am an:

B 67/741 I W A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,109

0. B. CLEMENS FODDER CUTTER Filed Aug. 12. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A T TORNE YS.

Jan. 24, 1928. l 657 109 o. B. CLEMENS FODDER CUTTER Filed Aug. 12. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR:

I O s'car ale/mm;

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFKZE.

FODDER CUTTER.

Application filed August 12, 1926. Serial No. 128,769.

The present invention relates to fodder cutters; and its object is, generally, to provide a machine of that character improved in various respects hereinafter appearing; and more particularly, to provide improved feeding means for such a machine; and'fuv ther, to provide improved cutting means therefor; and further, to provide an improved casing for such cutting means; and fru'ther, to provide improved motion-trans mitting parts and improved controls therefor in such a machine; and further, to provide such a machine adapted for storage in small space; and further, to provide improved features of construction and means of connection between the parts of a machine of this character all as hereinafter de scribed and explained.

These objects are attained by, and the invention. finds preferable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a side view machine Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of certain parts of said machine, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of said parts, taken on line {t -ft of Figure 3, a 1

F igure 5 is another transverse vertical sectional view of said parts, taken on line 5--5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of some of said parts, taken on line (i6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an inner side View of a portion of one of the headsor end members of a cirof a fodder cutting cular casing, its circumferential side member being shown in section, and the position and mounting of a cutting or shear bar being shown; a

Figure 8 is a rear end view of said casing; Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear end view of the same, certain parts being broken away; a

Figure 10 is a diametrical sectionalview of said casing and of the cutting and workexpelling means inside it, taken on 1010 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a face View of the knife blades of the cutting means and the rotatable head carrying the same;

line

Figure 12 is a top plan view of a portion or the rear end of the structure showing its carrying wheels and said casing between them Figure 13 is an axially sectional view of certain motion-transmitting parts of the machine; and v a Figure ii is an, axially sectional view of certain other motiontransmitting parts of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings my fodder cutter has a frame 1 preferably formed of metallic angle or channel bars, its rear end having an axle 2 on which turn the axially spaced carrying wheels 3. A receptacle or elongated hopper t carried on the frame is adapted to receive the work,

the fodder to be cut into short lengths This hoppers open bottom 5 permits the fodder to fall on the feeding means, constructed and operating as follows: a

A plurality of feeding bars 6 parallelly disposed and spaced apart by guiding worksupporting elements comprising, the plates 16 fastened at 7 on the bottom of thehoppers support 8, have an upwardly and forwardly operative movement toward the machines i. e., for ensilage or the like.

i cutting means in which movement these bars serrations 9 engage and feed to the cutting means the fodder lying on the uppersurface of the elements 16, said bars having a reverse or non-feeding movement in which their serrations move belowthe upper surface of the elements 16. These moven'ients of the feeding bars are efl'ected by the following means: The bars are given a circuitous movement in a vertical plane at their-rear ends by the horizontal shaft 10, by the wrist pins 11 which have alternately. oppositely disposed cranks 12 turning at 13 in the rear ends of the bars (trespectively. The forward ends of these bars rest, and in said movements slide, on a horizontal bearing member extending transversely of the machine. This bearing member as shown, is the eccentric cam member 14 jonrnalled at 15 and having a lever handle 20 whereby it may be turned to desired position in order to bars movement be constant.

yieldingly dle or rear ure so that the I cal plane relatively from said surface 14 casing;

movement above the upper surface of the elements 16 thus to effect such feeding, and are depressed below such surfaces in the bars reverse or non-feeding movement.

It will be seen that, by turning this cam member 14;, the feeding may be made faster or slower and the lengths in which the work is cut longer or shorter, inasmuch as. in. the lowered position of the forward ends of the bars 6 the work-engaging movement of their serrations is shorter in time and distance than when the forward ends of these bars are raised, and although the speed of the The work-supporting elements 16. extend rearwardly only to approximately k work being fed by the rear portions of the bars which are then'raised bytheir cranks may he slid forwardly along the serrations or upper surfaces of the bars which are at the time relatively lowered.

Cooperating feeding means are shown adjacent the machines cutting means. co1nprising feeding bars 6' whose operative lower edges or serrations 9 are inclined in a vertito the corresponding opcrative upper edges 'or serrations 9 of the feeding bars 6 of the lower feeding means. The bars 6 are carried at their rear ends on the crank wrist pins 11 of the shaft i 111 a manner similar to that in which thercar ends of the feeding bars 6 are mounted on their cranks. The forward ends-of these bars 6 are inclined at 21 andareadapted to slide on the surface 14 of a member 22, being'guided by theirbolts 23 slidable in slots '24 in saiddnember 22 and threaded in thesebars respectively. The degree of separation of the forward ends of these bars 6 may be limited by turning said bolts 23. bars 6 are pressed toward the lower feeding bars 6 by springs 25 connected by links 26, 27 to said member 22 which is turnably mounted on the shaft 10; By this provision, the mass of the work passing between the upper and lower sets of feedingbars is compacted as it passes to the cutting means through the opening 30 into the and these sets of bars yield interrelatively to accommodate a greater or thickness of the work passing therebetween.

A circular casing 31 is mounted on the rear 'of the machines frame, and contains the cutting means. Such means includes a cutting bar or shear blade 32 having a mid posed side portions 3 5% extending forwardly from said rear portion and having cutting through, bya supporting bar front edges 35. This cutting bar is removablymounted on the inner head or end member 36 ofthe casing at the opening 30 there- 37 secured as by bolts 38 tothe cutting bars rear portion 33 and between its side portions 34, this supthe position shown in Fig-"one of said flange, and the edge of one ol These upper feeding.

portion 33 and parallelly disporting bar 37 being carried by the inner head or end 36 of the casing as by bolts 40. It will be seen that inasmuch as the cutting edges of this cutting bar are directed toward the interior of the bar, even if accidentally loosened or detached from its supporting bar 37, cannot fall intothe casing and into contact with the moving knife blades hereinafter described. The said casing 31 comprises the end members or heads 36 and ll-l (being circular discs), a split circumferential side member l2 having radially extending flanges 43 at its sides, and split hoops -14, each having in its inneriside a circular groove receiving 46 turning in the lugs t7 andthrcaded in the lugs 48 of the hoops, whereby the hoops are compressed to confine the edges of the end members or heads 36, p in the grooves 4.5. i This being done, the circumferential side member 4-2 expanded by means therefor provided, as. the screw bolt 50 threaded in said membe1"s lug 51 and bearing against its other lug This side members flanges 42-3 are, thus pressed into the grooves 45, beside the edges of the end members 36, ell, to the desired degree. It will be seen that by these means the diameter of the space within the casingmay be to some degree varied to accommodate varying conditions within the casing due to the amount or character of the work cut therein and being expelled through the discharge pipe (50 of the casing. It will be seen that the outer head or end member 41 of the casing may be removed by merely taking off the hoop el -l surrounding the same. i

The main or driving shaft 61 of the machine, rotated as by its pulley (32 carrying a belt (33, extends in the ltmgitudinal direction of the machineand carries at its rear ernl the circular head (it to which knife blades (95 are secured as by screw bolts it .lhcsc knife blades, by the rotation of said shaft, are carried into cutting cmjiperation withdhe cutting edges 3:") of thelixcd shear or cutting blade 37; and the radial wings (57 of the head (54: drive the cut work out of thecasing through its tangential discharge pipe 60, from which it may be delivered through suitable pipes (not shown) to a desired place. The eirclnnfcrential member all! through which the discharge vent extenills may be turned in the grooves 44") and clamped in desired position to direct the discharge pipe 60 as may be required.

The driving shaft 61 carries a clutch member rotatably and slidably thereon having a bevel gear 71 meshing with a bevel gear 72 on the shaft 10; and also carries a clutch member 73 rotatably and slidably thereon having a bevel gear 74; meshing with a bevel ll of the casing casing, said cutting ill] gear turning on a spindle 76 andcarrying a sprocket wheel 77 on which and on the sprocket wheel 77 on the shaft 10 the sprocket chain 78 is carried. These clutch members 7 0 and T3 are clutched with their coo 'ierating clutch members 79 and 80 respectively, splined. on the driving shaft 61. These clutch members 79 and 80 are moved into and out of their clutching engagements by the lever 81, the links 82, 83 extending therefrom to the clutch forks 84, respec tively. I i i The sleeves 86, 87, 88 are threaded at 89, 10 and 91 respectively on the frame and surround the driving shaft. The sleeve 86 may be turned into abutting engageu'ient with the hub 92 of the rotating head (ititO hold the knife blades (35 at proper distance from the shear or cutting blade 32; and the sleeves S7, 88 may be turned to hold the gears 7 1 and 71 in proper mesh with the gears 75 and 72 respectively, into which meshing engagement the gears 74, 71 are yieldingly' pressed by the coiled springs 94, 95 respectively.

A collar 96 having a set screw97 and abutting on the sleeve 86 serves to hold the driving shaft against longitudinal movement toward the rear of the machine.

The casing 3.1 being positioned between the wheels 3 and having a flat rear or outer side ll, the frame 1 may be raised to a vertical position, the axle 2 turning in the wheels, and the machine will then rest on said rear side 41 of the casing, thus occupying, when not in use, a narrow space. The forward end of the frame 1 is carried by a wheel100 journalled in a yoke 101 turnable about a vertical axis 102. The vehicle tongue 103 :arried by this yoke may be turned at right angles to the machines longitudinal axis and fastened to the ground by a stake 104C to hold the machine against the drawing tendency of the driving belt 63 on the pulley 62. This pulley, and the driving shaftwith its clutches, the gears and other operative parts at. the machines side, may be covered by a shield, part of which is indicated in broken lines at 105 in Figure 1.

It will be seen that the cutting contact of the knife blades 65 with the work may be so timed relatively to the feeding operation as to occur only at the intervals between successive feeding impulses.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings. or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. In mechanism of the character described, feeding means comprising: a feeding bar having at one end a circuitous movement in a. vertical plane, and an inclined lower surface adjacent its other end; a hearing member on which said surface slides horizontally, and means to adjust said bearing member vertically.

2. In mechanism of the character described, feeding means comprising: a feeding bar having at one end a circuitous movement in a vertical plane, and an inclined lower surface adjacent its other end; a cam member on which said surface slides horizontally, said cam being turnable on a horizontal axis to adjusted positions.

3. In mechanism of the character described, feeding means comprising: an element having a work supporting upper surface; a feeding bar adjacent and parallelly disposed relatively to said element and having at one end acircuitous movement in a vertical plane; a bearing member adjacent its other end on which the bar slides horizontally, said bearing member being movable vertically to positions in which the bar raised thereby operatively engages the work on said surface, and to another position in which the bar is permitted to fall to disengage the same.

4. In mechanism of the character described, feeding means comprising: a plurality of elements having work-supporting upper surfaces; a plurality of feeding bars between said elements; an axially-horizontal rotatable shaft having angularly-spaced cranks whose wrist pins turn in the bars respectively adjacent one of the ends thereof; a cam shaft adjacent its other ends onwhioh the bars slide longitudinally,said shaftbeing turnable to positions in which the bars raised thereby operatively engage the work on said surfaces and to another position in which the bars are permitted to fall to disengage the same. i

5. In mechanism of the character described, feeding means comprising: an element having a work-supporting upper surface; a feeding bar adjacent and parallelly disposed relatively to said element and having at one end a circuitous movement in a vertical plane, and an inclined lower surface adjacent its other end; a bearing member adjacent said other end on which the .bars said surface slides horizontally, said member being movable vertically to positions in which the bar raised thereby operatively engages the work on said elements upper surface and to another position in which the bar is permitted to fall to disengage the same.

6. In mechanism of the character described, a casing comprising: circular end members; a split circumferential side member having radially extending flanges; split hoops, each having in its inner side a circular groove receiving one of the flanges and the edge of one of the end members; means for contracting the hoops; means for expanding the circumferential sidemember.

7. In mechanism of the character described, ac'asing. comprising; circular end members; a split circumferential side memher having radially extending flanges; split hoops, each having in its inner side, a circulargroove receiving one of the flanges and operatively engaging the Work on its oppo sitesides; a idrivn'ig shaft carrying cutting means; a clutch foreeoupling the shaft With one of the feeding n'ieans; anether clutch for coupling the shaft with the other feeding means a i 10. In a machine of the character described: a pair of cooperating feeding n'leans operatively engaging the work on its opposite sides and driven by gears respectively; a driving shaft carrying cutting means and gears meshing with the first-mentioned gears respectively and rotatably and axially movable on the shaft; threadedly mounted sleeves surrounding the shaft turnable into abutting engagement with the cutting means nes'moo and the second-1nentioned gears respectively clutches for couplingthe second-mentiouerl gears respectively With the shaft.

11. In a machine of the character described: a pair of cooperating feeding means operatively engaging the work on its opposite sides and driven by gears respectively; a driving shaft carrying cutting means and gears meshing with the first-n'lentioned gears respectively and rotatably and axiallymovs able on the shaft; threadedly mounted sleeves surrounding the shaft turnable into abutting engagen'lentwith the cutting means and the second-mentionedgears respectively; clutches for coupling the secoml-inentioucd gears respectively with the shaft; sprin pressing the second-nientioned gears into mesh withthe lirst-inentirmed gears respectively. r

12. In a machine of the character de: scribed: a horizontal frame carried by a pair of axially spaced Wheels; feeding means and cutting means carried by the frame, said cutting means COHIPIlSiDg a knife blade earried by a shaft extending parallelly with the Wheels; a casing enclosing the cutting means,and carried by the frame between the wheels, and having a flat outer end adapted to rest on theground in the vcrtical position of the frame turned about the axis of the Wheels.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 9th day of August, 1926. i

a OSCAR B. CLEMENS. 

